Stronger, Harder, Faster
by SuperSeriousAuthor
Summary: Sally never marries Gabe, what happens as a result of this? The story is intentionally vague, it should become clear in time. This is my first piece, don't expect a masterpiece
1. Chapter 1

_"Get inside,_ " _she_ _urged_. _"Quickly now! You need to get inside."_

Those words, haunting my mind in the day, dogging my footsteps like an ugly shadow...they curled and wormed their way through my dreams, no rest even while asleep.

I didn't know it at the time, didn't realise until it was far too late, but those words were the last I heard of my mother.

I have never needed pity, nor comfort. When you've had as long as I have to come to terms with your lot in life other people's sad, awkward comments only antagonise the issue. Three years of wandering, running, fighting where necessary. Three years...gods it felt like an age since I saw her face, creased with fear. My classmates shunned me, my conversations always felt stunted, like I was far too old for my own mind. You could say I had a rough childhood. You could say the sun is fairly warm as well, for as accurate as that would be. Shunted and shifted between orphanages and foster homes, I'd yet to spend a whole year anywhere before having to leave. It's not always their fault either, Mr. Blofis was kind and helpful, but then I saw one of the hounds stalking through his backyard and knew it was time to move on.

I couldn't seem to get away from them, no matter where I hide or run. They always follow. It was usually the hounds, It seemed as if they tracked my scent. I got into the habit of washing regularly to throw them off, but it hadn't helped much. The monsters always showed up again. Once in a park I was almost caught by a towering man with one eye in the centre of his cruel face. I had to fight him, like I had to fight the first ones. I had fought and fought and fought, I thought I was prepared. Not like before. Those hounds; I can never forget the way they burst through the windows, blood around their snouts. I grabbed whatever came to hand, vainly trying to fend them off. Then I saw it, my mothers only gift from dad (other than me, she always said). It gleamed as if it knew what I was thinking. The bronze dagger shone like starlight, and still shines now.

I wandered far, but I always wandered with an aim, never straying too far from the path. One of my strongest remaining memories of my mother was her telling the story of how she met my dad, on a beach in Long Island. She always loved that story.  
And so there I was, pacing down the sea shore, marching, determined in my goal. It had been three long years but at last I had made it, to the only place my mother said was safe. As I walked my pace sped up, until I'm suddenly sprinting across the sand as fast as my tired legs can carry me. And then I feel it, as if I have passed a barrier, run through a gate and closed it behind me. I finally felt home, like the wind at my back will defend me more than any four walls could.

Suddenly, drifting upwind, ragged and disrupted, I catch a snatch of conversation. How long has it been since I heard a voice that wasn't my own? Must be since that weird lady tried to sell me some hamburgers in a garden emporium. I know better than to trust people like that though. It had been far too long.

I call out to them, getting their attention. No one in this haven could be a threat right?  
"Hey! Over here!"

I wave and jump, to get their attention. Two people appear over a rise, a nervous looking boy moving with an odd gait, and a girl with blonde hair, stormy eyes and an intense expression. It seems they weren't out here to enjoy the sea air, rather to have a serious conversation.

'Ah...I've already messed up and I just met these people.'

"How did you get in here?" The girl shouted, frowning at something.

I try to explain, fumbling my way through a retelling of the last 10 minutes. I waited apprehensively, as they discuss my story.  
"Annabeth...he might be the one I went to find, he smells familiar."

"Do you think? But who could his parent be?"  
This was all too strange, maybe I shouldn't have come here. Why can the boy smell me? I washed in a stream just the night before.  
Something told me that I needed to stay however, that I could trust these people. I hang around until they make a decision, awkwardly shuffling in the sand while they plan my fate. They suddenly walk off, heading back over the dune they just appeared from. I stare in shock, they're just leaving me here? My mouth is left agape, until the boy turns around and asks, smiling,  
"Well? Are you coming or not?"

Left with little other choice, I hurried to catch up. ' _Maybe_ ', I thought, _'this place will last.'_

•••••

 **A/N**

 **I know this is short right now, hopefully chapter lengths will increase as we get into the story a bit more. This is my first piece, so any advice would be helpful, but as stated on my profile I don't care for hate. This is kind of the intro, and will hopefully set up the world fairly well, you'll have to wait for some explanations though.**


	2. Chapter 2

As I followed my two strange new companions on our trek it became apparent to me that this place is some kind of summer camp. But what kind of summer camp does actual sword fighting? And why does their climbing wall seem like it's trying to throw them off? That place became more peculiar each minute I was there.

At last we stopped outside a large powder blue building, with a wraparound porch and white trim, the peeling paint showing splotches of red beneath. It seems like a house, a vacation home perhaps? Apparently, from the conversation of the others, this place is actually called 'the big house'. An unoriginal name but rather apt. On the deck in front of me I noticed two men, one in a wheelchair. The other gazes up at me with sullen eyes, and the red nose of an alcoholic.

After the girl - Annabeth, I remember - has a hushed conversation with the two of them they put down their card and turn to face me.

"What's your name, my boy?" The one in the wheelchair asked, kindly. He seemed to exude calm, and I feel myself relaxing in his presence.

"Percy... Jackson...sir..." I manage, looking down at my feet awkwardly.

"Don't worry, you will be safe here. The monsters cannot find you within camp limits." He assured me. I started as he mentions the monsters but the others just chuckle.

"Listen to me Johnson. Despite my attempts to escape I am forced to run this camp, so it'd be better for both of us if you kept your head down, I'd hate to have to do anything." The other one seemed to have already forgotten my name. I'm surprised he even managed to hear me though, his Hawaiian shirt was loud enough to drown out the chatter of campers all around us. "Follow Chiron here, and he will show you the introduction video and then you can make a decision. I will be out here enjoying the sun should you wish to thank me."

"Ah yes, the introductory video. Follow me Percy." The older man says. I assume he is Chiron, if that's even a real name.

"Now that you've seen the video, what do you think? Do you have any questions?" He questions me gently.

"You're marketing could do with some improvements, you didn't really sell this camp as well as I'd hoped. Also that video seems ancient, how long ago was it made?"

"You're right, I've been meaning to remake that video...no, no, I meant do you have any questions about this great revelation? Most people are surprised by this video, knowing they aren't alone at the very least. To see you so unperturbed is most unusual."

"...I'm still thinking on that one, it's a lot to take in. I am far too familiar with the monsters, but gods? Are you saying my dad wasn't actually human? It seems too far fetched to be true, if I hadn't fought the living proof. I am surprised, it's just still sinking in.

"For now you will be shown to the Hermes cabin by Grover, where you will stay until you are claimed by your father."

With that said I leave, following the boy from earlier. I hadn't ever imagined he could be a satyr, although that might explain his odd stride. And why when I found him outside he was nervously eating a card from the game. He showed me around the camp, to the vast boating lake and the climbing wall, now silent and calm, past the forges where burly campers move about in the half light from the fire, moving confidently despite the hot metal in their tongs. We came to the horseshoe of cabins in the centre of camp, and walked over to the shabbiest, on one end. It has brown paint that is peeling from every inch, a rusty symbol over the door that Grover assures me is a caduceus, and small windows. At least it looks more welcoming than what is apparently the Ares cabin. I hope he was joking about the landmines, but it wouldn't surprise me, that would match the barbed wire and boar's head well enough.

Once I was inside I was struck by the sight, sound, and above all smell of too many people living in one place. There was little room to walk without treading on a sleeping bag or the person inside it. From the confusion in front of me materialised an older boy with sandy hair and mischievous eyes, what would have been an attractive face was marred by a wicked scar below his right eye, extending towards his chin. He cracked a smile at me though, and made me as welcome as he could.

"Welcome, to the dumping ground of the gods." He laughed wryly, gesturing around him. "With any luck you'll be claimed and out of here soon enough. I'm Luke, one of the older campers, I look after this place as best I can."

Glancing around I noticed the two groups intermingled in the cabin, some who looked like Luke, blonde hair and an internal humour, as if you hadn't realised the joke yet, and others who seemed as separate as could be, united only in their dejected looks. I assumed the latter had yet to be claimed, and sympathy washed through me.

I was quickly gathered a sleeping bag and some toiletries, much better than the oversized hoodie and ratty toothbrush I'd been using. I plonked myself down in a free space and quickly stowed my things away. Two sons of Hermes, they might well have been twins, approached me and introduced themselves as Travis and Connor.

"If you have any valuables on you, be sure to keep a close eye on them." One of the two, slightly taller, said to me.

"Things have a tendency to go missing around here, probably something to do with children of the god of thieves." The other finished for him and they laughed as if I wasn't the first person they'd told this to. I probably wouldn't be the last either.

Once I was settled in we all headed off to dinner at the dining pavilion, an unfamiliar fare of mostly fresh salad and cheese. It was nice enough, although I soon learned I wasn't a fan of olives. That night I slept soundly, surrounded comfortingly by the warmth of others.

After breakfast the next day I joined in the activities with my cabin, starting with archery taught by Chiron. I soon fell into a comfortable rhythm, doing activities and joking with my companions. The next week or two passed in a blur of motion. I was too busy to really stop and think, although maybe that was intentional, as I quickly adapted to life at camp without worrying too much about my parenthood.

At the end of the week I'd met up with Annabeth to discuss my time at camp, and we soon got onto the question of who my father could be. I hadn't really excelled at anything that first week, perhaps sword fighting or kayaking, if that. I'd burned myself in the forge, dropped more arrows than I managed to shoot in archery, and fell off the climbing wall after seconds. Annabeth tried to reassure me that it was normal for newcomers to struggle but I couldn't help feeling somewhat disheartened that I didn't have an obvious skill. The Ares kids always won the spars, even the youngest of Hephaestus' children had more skill at metalworking than I did. Many were stronger than me as well.

"I can't believe I'd thought...thought you were the one." Annabeth muttered, barely audible. That seemed to sum my experience up really: I'd enjoyed myself but I certainly hadn't met my own expectations.

Suddenly some of the unclaimed kids came over and called out to me.

"Yo Perce, where'd you get the knife? You know you aren't allowed to steal training weapons." A tall Asian boy asked me. He had hard eyes and a cruel mouth, he'd been in the cabin for a long time.

 _'Knife? I haven't stolen a knife, what are they talking about?'_

I hurried back to the cabin with Annabeth in tow, determined to prove my innocence. When we arrived there was only a few people in the cabin. The two brothers who had approached me were stood to one side looking guilty and Luke was crouched by my pack, brow creased in confusion. As I entered he stood in and came over to us to talk to us.

Before Luke said anything he simply held up the knife for me to look at. It looked familiar, but it was nothing like the camp knives I'd used a couple of times. It was nearly a foot in length with a leaf shaped blade and wooden handle adorned with simple bronze decorations. The camp knives were longer by far and had a straight crossguard. With a start I recognised it as my father's knife, the weapon I'd carried for three years. Since I'd been at camp I hadn't used it, nor shown it to anyone. It had somewhat faded from my memory, although when I took it from Luke it fit comfortably into my palm as always.

"Percy, where did you find this? It didn't come from the training equipment and I doubt you raided the armoury for a knife." Luke asked me, still confused but seeming less concerned when he saw my reaction to it.

"This knife, I've had this since before camp, it was a gift to mom from my father. 'To keep us safe' she said. I had forgotten it was in my pack...Wait a minute, where did you find it?"

Then the Stolls hurried over and explained they had found it in my pack while looking for any good stuff I might have hidden from them. I can't say I was surprised, they did warn me it would happen.

Finally Annabeth spoke up, "What will you do with it now? I don't know if you'll be allowed to keep it, if Chiron finds out he might confiscate it for the armoury."

"But if it was a gift from his dad it should be allowed, like your cap and Clarisse's spear. It doesn't seem to have anything unusual about it, it's a fairly standard knife, not even enchanted." Luke countered, trying to reassure me.

"If Percy wishes to keep it, he is certainly allowed. May I recommend you use it in the coming capture the flag game?" Chiron chimed in, having just entered the cabin himself. "It looks...familiar, but I cannot place it. It is a fine weapon however, it has served you well."

After the campfire that night I returned to the cabin, lost in my own thoughts. Who could my father be? All I had were snatches of memory, unimportant comments, small jokes lost to time. She always said he was a sailor, but was that a clue? Was it just a cover story? If I truly concentrate it seems I can remember him, just a vague sensation of warmth and happiness. What would that mean? I was getting nowhere. It couldn't be Poseidon because he promised, along with Zeus and Hades, to stop having children. It couldn't be Apollo because I can hardly fire a bow, let alone hit a bullseye. Ares? No, too aggressive. Aphrodite?...No, of course not.

As I thought and thought I soon came to a simple, logical, albeit saddening, conclusion. I wasn't a child of an Olympian. I'd join the other kids in Hermes cabin forever, no cabin to call my own.

 _'Thanks dad'_

•••••

 **A/N**

 **First off, thanks for sticking through past chapter one, I know a lot of stories struggle with views on the second or so chapter. Secondly I'd like to apologise in advance for any OoCness from the dialogue, that's probably my writing style coming through. If in doubt, I'll blame it on the changed backstory. I know that a lot of authors make changes to the world with no real explanation, but I promise everything you've seen does have a reason behind it, you'll just have to be patient.**


	3. Chapter 3

Two more days passed, in a drudge of self pity. I was still so fixated on my heritage, or lack thereof, that I barely payed attention to what I was doing, acting with my subconscious. I was roused from my state by Luke while he was leading the sword fighting class.

"Okay now break down into pairs and practise what you were just shown." He called to the group. "Percy, do you want to work with me?" This request was much quieter.

"Oh, uh...sure..." I replied, readying myself for the tough training. Luke rarely had partners for practice because he was fast, and always went full force. We sparred back and forth for a few minutes, every couple of seconds the grunts were cut through by a loud clang as someone managed to disarm their opponent. My wrist soon began to ache from the vibrations as Luke landed technique after technique, leaving me to scrape my sword from the dust once again.

"Okay everyone, take a bit of a break and then go back with your partners." Luke said to the tired demigods, cut off by a satisfied groan as we all collapsed over to the water. In the break I saw some of the others give up on drinking the water and instead pour it over their heads, looking slightly silly but far more refreshed. I copied them, and immediately felt better. The ache began to fade from my wrist.

Once we were back with our partners, I felt confident enough to attempt the strike against Luke, formidable though he was. I saw my chance as he went in to stab my belly. I struck towards his hilt and _twisted_ , dislodging his longer sword from his grip. As it rang against the sandy floor the other camper stopped sparring and just stared at me as if I'd grown a second head. Had I? I quickly looked at myself but nothing had really changed. Luke glanced up at me, as he picked up his sword, seeming equal parts surprised and impressed.

"Percy...how did you do that? No one can disarm Luke, he's the best!" Someone in the crowd asked incredulously. "Can you do it again?"

"Well, it can't hurt to try, why don't you all gather around and watch." Luke suggested, once again on his feet. So we began to spar again. In the heat I felt my second wind begin to fade once again, almost as fast as it had come. After a few exchanges I once again tried to disarm Luke but he seemed to predict it and knocked my own sword across the arena before I could get close.

"...Beginners luck...?" I said, sheepishly. The others were quick to agree, it was the only explanation.

That night after dinner we were gathered in the dining pavilion once again listening impatiently as Chiron drones on about rules and not hurting each other. At the mention of killing and maiming the Ares kids smirked menacingly at me, I guess as the newbie I was set to be their target.

At long last Chiron clapped his hands, and before the echoes had stopped the tables were covered in weapons and armour, far beyond our normal equipment. I was loaded up with a round shield larger than my body, it would be better suited as a surfboard or a dining table than protecting me. My sword came next, a length of burnished bronze, the blade was curved into a vague leaf shape and the weight sat near the tip, making it tiring to even lift. I opted for letting it hand loose at my side. I had a chest plate and helmet as well, and as he helped me buckle them up Luke explained some of what was going on.

"You'll be on the blue team with the rest of us. Right now we're led by the Athena cabin but it moves around. The aim is to carry the enemy's flag across the creek. When one of the flags crosses the stream the game is over."

Just then we were interrupted by a storm of cheers as Annabeth dashed into the pavilion carrying a long blue flag, it trailed behind her as she ran, the tip snapping in the wind. A ferocious roar came up from the Ares campers as their team leader, a tall, strong looking girl nearly as old as Luke, came in the far side, the blood red banner hanging behind her back.

"Percy, you'll be on border patrol. You're job is to stop anyone crossing the creek, however you can. This," Luke gestured towards my dagger "might come in handy there. Don't worry about getting the flag, leave that up to us."

The conch horn sounded, and we were away. I jogged through the woods behind the Hermes cabin, trying desperately to not trip and fall on all the armour hanging off my body. I was directed to my position, and began to wait. And wait. And wait.

After what felt like hours (but was probably only thirty minutes) no one had appeared. A few Apollo campers rushed past from our side, and a girl from Hermes leapt across the stream, probably carrying an important message. I could hear skirmishes elsewhere, but my spot remained conspicuously devoid of life.

Crack! I heard a loud noise, in amongst the boughs, like a dry branch snapping. Then the murmur of low voices, muted by the foliage, and finally a glimpse of the red plumed helmets that marked them out as enemies. With far more power than grace, and cruel, leering grins on their faces, four of the biggest Ares campers arrived from within the trees. Their leader, a girl named Clarisse stepped forward and raised her spear above her head, the tip crackling with red lightning.

"Looks like we got some fresh meat. What say we show him the ropes boys? And maybe the floor while we're at it."

This got a round of sniggers from her companions. I racked my brain for a funny, or at least intelligent, comeback but when faced with four of the biggest and meanest campers around, my jokes suddenly ran dry. Instead I simply raised my sword and shield, in a rough approximation of a fighting stance.

"Oho this one fights back! We'll soon put that right, twerp."

With a gesture from her threatening spear two of the campers came forward to deal with me. One attacked me head on, while the other tried to get behind me, but was thankfully cut off by the stream as I moved back. I narrowed my eyes at the kid in front of me and my mind suddenly went blank. I had no clue how to deal with them! My panic rose and it must have shown on my face because my opponent chuckled menacingly. He jabbed with his spear and I caught it on my shield, hearing it clunk as it lodged into the soft wood. He dragged it to the right, nearly taking my arm off with it, but finally the spear came free. He took advantage of my lack of balance to stab forwards again and this time I wasn't quick enough. He cut my shoulder, and blood ran freely down my arm. The wound was shallow but stung painfully. The shock of pain and the sight of so much of my own blood made me light headed, but I shook my head and returned to focus. I had fought monsters before, this was nothing new.

"Is that the best you can do? You barely scratched me." I taunted them, swallowing my fear.

With a snarl, Clarisse pushed them all back.

"You'll be swallowing those words in a second punk."

Her spear came forwards, the tip launching sparks. The strike came towards my torso, aiming to go through my navel. I again blocked with my shield, but the lightning arced through the the wood to my arm, numbing it. The shield dropped from my lifeless hand, I scrambled back away from her weapon. I knew another strike from that would end this fight. She struck with the haft at my face, trying to knock out some teeth. I stumbled away, my feet beginning to splash in the creek. I stopped, remembering my job. I had to stop them. My free left hand dropped to my waist and drew the dagger. I stepped forwards, now feeling reinvigorated. With a dark laugh Clarisse rammed her blade once again at my midsection, with enough force to pierce my armour and incapacitate me. I twisted to one side, now freed of the weight. My sword swung straight at her feet. She leapt back and brought the spear back around to swing into my chest. I blocked the shaft with my dagger and slammed my sword onto the hand grip. The wood split, and, elated, I swung again, carving through. The energy trapped in the weapon suddenly burst out, a shower of sparks filling the air between us with red lightning.

"You idiot! Oh you'll eat more than words for this, punk!" Clarisse raged in front of me. I took the opportunity to attack again, knocking one of the other campers off of his feet with a swipe at knee height. I came up and shoved his friend back into a third, before throwing myself back as Clarisse charged towards me, only partially succeeding. She still caught me a glancing blow and I rolled in the dirt, clutching at my chest.

Just then we were interrupted by a clamour of shouts as Luke dashed towards the boundary line, the crimson flag fluttering in the wind of his passing. He was followed by two Apollo campers and Annabeth, keeping four of Hephaestus' children at bay. Clarisse yelled out to her teammates to get up and ran off, they followed stumbling behind. I watched amazed as our intrepid flag bearer leapt across the stream and the flag began to _shift._ Where once it seemed stained with blood it shimmered and changed to a silver banner, with a caduceus displayed proudly in the centre, to replace the boar's head. I was so overawed by the spectacle that I barely registered a low growling from the bushes. I dismissed it in favour of joining in with the general cheer, hurrying to congratulate Luke and Annabeth.

As the crowd began to settle Chiron trotted up to announce the victory.

"The blue team have won, the Hermes cabin will lead next week. Feel free to return to your cabins campers." With that said, he looked disapprovingly towards me, my shoulder in particular. The campers began to disperse soon after, and he hurried over to me with a bandage in his hands.

Before he had a chance to reach me a growl ripped out of the woods. I turned to some shaking bushes in time to be caught by a leaping black mass, dark as shadow. The claws and teeth flashed in front of my face, tearing my armour to shreds, like a hatchet through paper. My sword was trapped beneath me, but I desperately slashed with my dagger, trying to keep the daggers it called teeth away from my soft flesh. The hound's eyes smouldered like coals in a blazing furnace, it's glare filled with a primeval hatred. I kept pushing, fighting to hold it's weight as it pressed down on me. Then with a wet, tearing noise like a sodden paper bag being ripped in half, three arrows seemed to sprout from it's throat. The monster soon disappeared into golden dust, freeing me of the crushing weight. I surged upwards with a gasp, before falling again at the pain in my ribs. Chiron's worried face wove into my vision, seeming to sway back and forth, out of focus. It was then that I realised, it wasn't Chiron that was moving, but my eyes that lazed back and forth in their sockets.

"-cy! Percy! Focus, Percy, you need...sten to me, you need to get into the wa...et into the water Percy!" Chiron's frantic words seemed to dance around my head, not quite making sense. Why would I need to be in the water? I managed to obey however, rolling towards the crystal, chuckling waters. As soon as the cool liquid surged over me I began to feel better, stronger. The wound in my chest itched and roiled like a small animal was burrowing under my skin. The pain gradually began to lessen however, and I became aware of a glowing shape floating above my head. It was a golden trident, on a shimmering haze of sea green. Looking around awkwardly from the floor, I saw the other campers kneel, their heads bowed. Chiron stood, amazedly, and proclaimed the news.

"All hail Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

•••••

 **A/N**

 **This one is a bit longer, hope you enjoyed it. I'm sorry it took a while for it to come out, I've been busy this week, I find myself only getting around to writing at 10:00 at night and by then I kind of lack motivation.**

 **With any luck the next one will come out a bit sooner, as I'll have time to write over the weekend.**

 **Make sure to review and tell me how best to improve, I really want some feedback on this guys.**


	4. Chapter 4

Poseidon? That felt right somehow, but all I could remember about him, in my delirium, was the pact. The promise that the members of the Big Three were no longer allowed to have children.

So I wasn't even supposed to exist? Why had he claimed me now? Why did he break the pact? What's for lunch?

These and more questions ran through my head while I recovered in the infirmary, staring blankly at the generic decor and pastel blue walls. I had more than enough time to think as I sat there, bandages around my chest and padding strapped onto my shoulder. Thankfully my friends - mostly Annabeth and Luke - visited me often, to offer support at first, and then just to talk. I was grateful for their company, no matter how aggravating the Stolls could be at times, as it kept me from going out of my mind with boredom. The life of an injured demigod was not at all helped by our universal ADHD. On the third day of my imprisonment Chiron and Mr. D returned from Olympus where they had been recalled shortly after I was claimed (or so I was told, being unconscious at the time). The centaur immediately came to visit me, heedless of the bags under his eyes and his clear fatigue. He rolled in in his wheelchair and sat alongside my bed, telling me all that I needed to know of what had happened.

"You must understand Percy, Zeus is not happy about what his brother did. Hades was furious. There has been war on the horizon since the disappearance of the master bolt after the Winter Solstice, but now it threatens to spill out and flood the world with their rage. The lives that were lost in both world wars will be minuscule in comparison to a war of the gods, where the world itself will fight. Already the gods are forming alliances. Poseidon claimed you in the hopes that you could help him prove his innocence. To this end you have been asked to take a quest. As soon as you have recovered you will go upstairs to receive a prophecy, and then you will prepare to leave. Time is of the essence Percy, Zeus has set the deadline of the summer solstice to retrieve his master bolt before he will punish your father, and if that were to happen there is little doubt you would not escape unscathed."

I pondered to myself, comparing the options before me. Poseidon had clearly only claimed me now because it suited his needs, fitting exactly into the model set by myths I had read with Annabeth of selfish and wilful gods making the lives of us mortals unnecessarily difficult. But on the other hand if I didn't help him here then I would be risking the lives of my friends and countless unaffiliated mortals on a whim. I needed to help him here, whether I would forgive him later would remain to be seen.

"Okay then. I'll try to find the bolt, if only to prevent this war." I accepted his request, already curious where it would take me. I doubt the bolt will be kept near New York, no one would be that foolish. Hopefully we could find it before the deadline though, I would hate to risk our lives for no reason.

Two more days of boredom, and I was finally allowed out. My first destination was straight to the Hermes cabin to pick up my stuff before being led to Cabin 3 to get settled in. Unlike Cabins 1 & 2, which looked more like temples than houses, this was small but homely. As I stepped in, i was struck by the comforting smell of the sea. The walls were mostly blue and green, but they mottled together, shining and shimmering like a jewel, or perhaps more aptly a beautiful seashell. The low cabin was sturdy in construction and spacious inside. There was three sets of bunk beds in the middle, with wardrobes and a desk along one wall and broad windows set in the other. The windows faced out onto the sea that lapped gently against the shore.

 _'Guess dad didn't hold back with interior design'_ I mused, although it was clear no one had actually lived here for a long time.

With my meagre supplies dropped off in the cabin and nothing but time on my hands I found myself back at the Big House, searching for Chiron. When I found him, he gave me a concerned look, but soon abated and helped me out when I asked for directions.

"Do be careful Percy, there are many campers who have gone up those steps and many again who have come down, but they are rarely the same afterwards. Knowing the future is a powerful thing, but not one to take lightly." He attempted to warn me, but soon left off when it was clear I was determined.

And so I climbed those hallowed stairs, stepping cautiously into the attic. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I looked around but it certainly wasn't the withered husk that sat before me. A shrivelled mummy that may have once contained life was perched on a three legged stool in pride of place in the centre of the cramped room. I nervously approached and, stopping a couple of yards short, realised I hadn't a clue what to do. Feeling slightly foolish I opened my mouth and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hey..." The mummy remained unimpressed. "I'm here for a prophecy...?" Nothing seemed to change for a short while, and I was about to return downstairs in disgrace, when she suddenly sat bolt upright. Her wrinkled mouth creaked open and out flowed a deep green mist, so dense that it almost appeared solid. The mist settled on the floor, filling up around my ankles before shifting into a strange form. It ran into a comfortable chair first, then filled up into an empty image of my mother. I leapt back in surprise, before the green body opened its mouth, and out came a voice unlike anything I'd ever heard, raspy and ancient, with low undertones, like multiple people speaking at once.

" _Beware the threat that rises in the deep_

 _Hurry west, or in eternal dark you'll sleep_

 _Watch your friends, keep your enemies closer_

 _In the shadows, expose the poser_

 _Be back in time, and and the peace you will keep_

My mind lay blank, wiped clean by shock. Only now I realised, Chiron's warning was understating the threat. Those words swirled around my mind, as I stumbled back down the steep, steep stairs. Suddenly the gravity of the situation hit me, hard. I was going to risk my life for this, and if I failed the world would descend into chaos. No pressure.

I dragged my feet as I came onto the porch of the Big House, finding Annabeth and Chiron having a hushed conversation. They jumped as I walked through the doors, but soon faced me and asked for the news.

Chiron gave me a knowing look, noticing my still shell shocked features. He smiled paternally, and waited for me to speak. Annabeth looked worried as I recounted the prophecy, her racing mind already thinking through the possible meanings of the prophecy. We all sat for a while, lost in thought. After a seemingly endless time, we were stirred from our reverie by Chiron's voice.

"Prophecies are notorious for being difficult to interpret, and often counter to expectations. Sadly this one seems fairly clear. There is a traitor that must be exposed, and the many references to the deep and the dark seem to suggest it is Hades.

"There is no denying, he is the one who would most benefit from such a war, the sheer death toll expanding his realm and power greatly, and his brothers' weakness would allow him to seize control of Olympus. It is a grave thing to accuse a god of treason, but it is graver still to cause a war of the gods through cowardice."

"Well, you need to make a decision soon Percy, or else it will be too late." Annabeth added, in case I wasn't already certain.

"I already said I would do it, there's no backing out now." I gave a wry smile, before raising my head. I stand and walk off, to gather what I might need, leaving the others behind me. I only go a few yards before I turn back and smirk.

"Well, are you coming or not?"

•••••

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, sorry it's been a while since I last updated, and that it's a bit shorter than before. I had a _major_ block on the prophecy, partly because it sort of forced me to plan the whole thing out a bit more, and partly because I suck at poetry, let alone riddles. I'm still not happy with it, but it's the best I can do.**

 **I'm honestly surprised by the number of people following this story, I had assumed I'd just be lost in the abyss of first stories. Thanks for those of you who have come back. Remember to review and comment on what you think I need to improve, I'm open for criticism or advice.**


	5. Chapter 5

I look back out at camp, trying to embed the view into my memory, just in case. Once we've all said our farewells, I step up alongside my two companions on this quest. They've been my rocks while at camp, they are the two people I trust the most. Mr D wasn't happy that we went on our quest without a satyr guide, but Grover certainly seemed relieved. And so we set off, shuffling into the van for Argus to drive us to New York.

Argus was the camp security guard, and he was pretty good at it as well, on account of the hundred blue eyes all over his tanned body. It was a bit disconcerting when he blinked, and he almost never spoke, but he kept at least one eye out for the campers, and no one had a bad word to say about him. It fell to the three of us to fill the silence that pervaded the van. Annabeth checked and rechecked that we had everything we might need, I fiddled with the knife, and Luke brooded silently in one corner, not really helping the atmosphere. All too soon we found ourselves as far as Argus would take us, and he stoically unloaded our bags. Before he left he smiled at us, all hundred eyes crinkling in amusement. And then we were alone.

We needed transport across the country, that much we agreed upon. How we would get it was still up for debate. Annabeth was in favour of buying some train tickets and heading off towards St Louis, whereas Luke was adamant that borrowing a car would be the best option, as we could get going as fast as possible. We were getting nowhere, Annabeth was furiously opposed to theft, even if we might save the world, and Luke seemed irrationally afraid of public transport. We could have kept bickering there for some time, but I settled the argument when a Greyhound bus showed up nearby.

"Guys we need to get going, let's get on that bus and we can figure the rest out later." I said to them, deciding the matter by leaving to get tickets.

Fairly soon we were off, stopping every now and again to pick up more passengers, the bus slowly filled up around us. As we rode on and on we all of us felt a rising sense of pressure, as if we were being watched, stalked, by some great power. I shifted nervously in my seat, anxious at the scrutiny. The ominous force did not abate, but for an age nothing seemed to come of it. We waited, on edge, and we waited. As we began to ride out of New Jersey, having made it further than any of us expected, the engine began to stream thick, oily smoke.

The driver pulled us over and all the passengers rushed off, most blissfully unaware of what was happening. The three of us however were under no illusions as to what had caused this breakdown. Luke gathered us around and suggested we ditch the bus here, to spare the passengers. After Annabeth and I had agreed we strode off into the woods, soon leaving our last glimpse of civilisation behind us.

We hadn't been going long into the thick woods when from the dense undergrowth there came a rumbling snort. The ground shook under some great blow, and I rushed towards a clearing ahead of us, leading the others. We gathered in a circle facing outwards, weapons at the ready, as clouds raced together ominously overhead.

Branches snapped.

Trees shook.

Into the clearing lumbered a towering figure. He, for it was certainly a he, seemed to dwarf some of the trees around us, some eight feet high. His horns gleamed darkly, dangerously, as he lowered his head.

"Minotaur." Annabeth muttered behind me. The Minotaur bellowed a challenge, and charged forwards, head down to gore us. We scattered around him and dove away, clambering up to regroup. Before we could gather our wits he was coming back around, rushing towards Luke. Luke stood up, crouched on the balls of his feet. At the last second he again dove to the side, rolling clear of the grabbing arms.

This was no good, there was no way we could kill him like this, and we would never outrun him in the forest. Annabeth caught my attention, and gestured at the Minotaur. She had a plan, I hoped. Glancing around I gathered a handful of stones and began to launch them at our foe. Soon the shower of pebbles garnered his terrifying attention, and he swung his enormous head towards me. In the distance thunder rumbled, as if to signify what was to come. Only as he advanced towards me did I realise the terror of this opponent. Half man, half bull, he was a broad as an oak tree and bound with muscles. This time he didn't rush into a headlong charge like before, he seemed to have learned his lesson. My volley of stones dried up, along with my mouth, in the face of the beast. He stalked closer, eyes glinting with a dark cunning. I looked around for back up, evidence the Annabeth was preparing something, but she had disappeared. _'Has she run off?'_ I thought, bewildered.

Suddenly he was upon me, his raking claws swiping at my chest. I leapt back and he missed, but he kept coming. I had to trust Annabeth to take him down, there was no other way out of this. I drew my dagger, what little good it would do me. The longer sword would only get in the way at this range. His great hand swung at my head and I ducked, slashing at his knee. The cut was shallow, doing little more than cementing his hate. He kicked forwards and I twisted aside, narrowly dodging the enormous foot. I went forwards again and stabbed towards his chest, but he caught the blow on his forearm and my knife glanced off. Suddenly he seized up and rose to his full height, as if to deliver the final blow. I cringed behind my knife, feebly raised to ward it off, but the attack never came, instead when I looked again, in his place, was the by now familiar pile of golden dust. Then behind where he had stood materialised Annabeth, her own knife outstretched and her Yankees cap in one hand. Now I understood. She had said the cap was a gift from her mother, clearly it turned her invisible. That was _so_ cool. Luke came over with the bags in hand, and we once again set off through the tightly bound pine trees.

We'd been wandering along a deserted road for some time when we came across a sign of life again. It was a once cheerfully flashing sign proclaiming 'Auntie Em's Garden Emporium'. I turned to the others nervously; I recognised this place.

"Guys, I've been here before, we should avoid it. I have no idea who runs the place, but she isn't human. Last time I was here, a few months ago, she offered me some food and a place to rest, but I refused. When she heard that, she was furious, and I heard her hair hissing angrily. She tried to attack me and took off a veil. Her hair was serpents, writhing individually. I turned and ran after that so I have no idea what else she had planned." I warned the others.

"Percy, you just described Medusa. You were lucky to escape with your life." Annabeth told me, breathlessly. We once again gathered to form a plan of attack and I told them everything else I could remember. Luke's eyes lit up at the mention of the truck I had seen, and his brows furrowed in thought.

"Guys, we need to get ahold of that truck, it's our only way across the country. We need to get moving again, if we spend too long in one place we'll be attacked again. You two keep watch and I'll sneak in and steal it, shouldn't be too hard." He explained his plan to us, and despite her misgivings Annabeth agreed, it was our only option.

We snuck into the parking lot behind the shop, trying to avoid detection, and after the first few we kept from looking at the statues as well, their terrified expressions unnerved us. Annabeth and I took the entrances, crouching either side and keeping our eyes on the road ahead of us. My heart rose in my throat, afraid that we would be caught. The minutes ticked on, but after an eon Luke called softly to us, that he was in and we could leave. Annabeth rushed over and, after checking once more that we hadn't been noticed, I followed her. Luke was sat behind the wheel, and Annabeth had already claimed shotgun so I clambered into the bed with the bags.

We drove and drove, late into the night. The miles passed in silence, streetlight after streetlight the only break in the monotony. At long last we could continue no longer, and we stopped for the night. I pulled my sleeping bag out from my pack and settled down for a night of restless sleep. At long last I dropped off, but my sleep did not last long without being disturbed.

In my sleep I was shown a vision of a shimmering hall, the throne room of some underwater palace, filled with corals and glistening shellfish. The throne positioned directly ahead of me was simple, high backed with a repeating wave design wrapping around the seat, and a ring on the side of one arm, as I'd to hold a fishing rod on a boat. Through the curious logic of dreams I somehow knew I was stood, or rather, floating, in Atlantis, the palace of Poseidon. My heart filled with resentment. He had such power, but couldn't protect my mother? My hands clenched into fists at my sides.

From out of a side corridor I heard two voices talking animatedly.

"You must sue for peace, we cannot go to war with Zeus. He is lord of the gods for a reason, none can defeat him in combat. Do you remember, in an age long past, when you trapped him in a golden net? He was so enraged he held the entire world over the abyss and threatened to throw you down to join your father. Zeus alone decides a man's luck, he is the lawgiver, the protector of men and the destroyer of cities. Do not think to challenge him." A woman's voice, insistent, imploring.

"I cannot back down now. I have given him an ultimatum and he has given me his, now we must wait. After such...words... as we had the other day, to return and beg him for forgiveness wounds my pride to harshly. He was a fool to blame me for theft, more so to keep up the pretence when all know I am in the right. Unless our pigheaded idiot of a king sees sense I will not talk of forgiveness, for me or for him. I have faith my son will pull through." A rich, deep, voice full of the power of the ocean.

Given where I was, it came as no surprise when into the room strode a tall man, with a short, neat beard and khaki shorts. In his hand he held a trident, easily seven feet long. I knew that this must have been my father. By his side floated a beautiful woman, with flowing tresses, drifting in the water, and two fish tails where her legs should have been. She radiated the same power as Poseidon, she must have been his wife. Her identity escaped me, I never could get my head around all the names and myths.

They paused in their conversation when they entered the room, as if sensing my presence. Then the goddess turned to my father and bid him farewell.

"We shall have to continue this conversation another time. You are being as foolish as your brother, it seems the past millennia have done little to cool your temper. Until then, goodbye."

Poseidon sat down on the throne with a deep sigh, placing his trident into the ring. His elbows rested on his knees and his head sank into his hands.

My vision began fade to black and as the dream ended I heard my father mutter to himself.

"Hurry, Percy, you must save us all."

•••••

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, sorry this one took a while as well. I was super busy this weekend traveling around, I was at a funeral a long way from home. Thankfully I have it finished and I now have some more ideas for later. You may have noticed in this chapter I show the gods in a slightly different way to how they are portrayed in the books. I know this may end up being unpopular but I feel my representation is a bit more accurate to how they are in actual mythology. I'm reading the Iliad at the moment so I have a lot of inspiration. Also I know there's no mention of the truck in the books and the fact that they don't use it implies that it doesn't exist, but I have appropriated the truck from the movie, simply because it was my first thought with regards to a new mode of transport.**

 **I also have a pretty good idea for a one shot of Percy going to Sally's funeral at some point, just to express some of my own thoughts from these past couple of days, would you guys be interested in that?**

 **As always remember to critique me, and give me any advice you want to in your reviews. Your reviews mean a lot to me, even that one guy who always says "Great job!", shout out to Death Fury for the support there.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Percy, Percy wake up!" Annabeth shook me awake, one hand on my shoulder. I stretched and clambered out of the back of the truck, mind still turning over the revelations of the previous night's dream. My father was being a stubborn fool. I was committed however, finishing the quest was the only option.

I glanced around at where we had stopped. We were somewhere in the Midwest, judging by the rolling fields around us. Luke had pulled us over at the side of the road, and had been digging through the engine, perhaps the truck had broken down. Luke stumbled over to us, bleary eyed, and shook his head.

"Drive shaft has sheared through, there's no way we can replace it. Looks like we'll have to carry on on foot." He seemed weary, but resigned to keep going. Annabeth nodded, tacitly agreeing with Luke's assessment of our options. With our luck, hitchhiking would only end in disaster, and staying in one place for too long is never a good option for demigods, as I'd learned the hard way.

We set off, stumbling in exhaustion. With my disturbing dream last night I had slept fitfully, and Annabeth didn't seem much better off. It was clear that the only thing keeping Luke going was sheer force of will, and Annabeth and I wordlessly decided to walk either side of him, in case he collapsed from fatigue. We kept going, following the dusty track, occasionally stopping to eat a cereal bar, or to take a sip of our limited water supply. We kept moving, heads hanging low, no longer mustering the effort to look ahead. And so, when we did find a town, we didn't notice until it was nearly upon us, walking as we were with our heads bowed like oxen. Blinking drearily, I looked up at the town, if it was even worth the name. There was two roads, a handful of houses, and a single store, that apparently sold cigarettes, liquor, and, stamps, if the sign was to be believed.

Luke and I dropped where we were, and Annabeth took off her bag, placing it at our feet. As the most rested of us she offered to look around, and the two of us accepted without complaint. She walked away, glancing back and forth at the buildings. Luke leant against me, drifting in and out of consciousness, and I allowed my mind to drift, thinking of all the things I would say to my father once I had cleaned up his sorry mess. I considered forgiving him, and equally considered disowning him for being such a deadbeat. I wasn't sure how to treat my dad, until I then also thought about how the other gods treated their children. Annabeth had only spoken to her mother once, despite being at camp for years. Athena gave her the Yankees cap, and perhaps the occasional dream, but I couldn't think of much else. I also couldn't think of any other campers from the Athena cabin with even that much. Malcolm too had spoken to her on the winter solstice, but none had magical gifts. Luke had told me once, in a rare moment when he spoke about his past, that before he set off on his quest Hermes had sent him some flying shoes which was pretty cool, but even that hadn't stopped him getting his scar. ' _At least my dad claimed me, not like the others from Hermes cabin.'_ I mused, ' _And they are all willing to help.'_

"Luke, Percy, come on!" With this thought ringing in my ears I was startled from my reverie by Annabeth hurrying excitedly back along the road towards us. We both tottered to our feet and hefted our bags onto our shoulders, moving to meet her. Once we had gone over to talk I passed Annabeth her bag while she explained what she had seen.

"There's a small train station, just on the far side of the village. I checked the times, one should be coming soon.

"Hopefully we have enough money left in the bags for some tickets." I spoke up, interrupting her before she got too carried away with the idea. She blinked and thought for a moment before conceding that, for once, I had a point.

We checked through the bags and our pockets, and pulled out $62.25 in a handful of notes and a single quarter that I discovered tucked in a back pocket. Making our way over to the station we bought a ticket from the automated booth and settled down to wait. With this new discovery our spirits were lifted somewhat, but we all knew that we couldn't rest too easy, as we could be attacked at any time. Our encounter with the Minotaur was proof enough of this.

Before long, the train pulled up at the station and we made our way on. The train was conspicuously empty of life, except for us. We decided not to question it, and once more collapsed into some seats. Thankfully these were slightly more comfortable than the floor, and all three of us soon fell asleep.

I woke to the sound of Annabeth's chuckling laughter. I started awake and quickly sat upright, once I realised that while I was asleep, I had leant my head against Luke's shoulder.

"You know you drool when you sleep, right?" She asked, eyes full of mocking mirth.

"Urm, yeah, I-I've always done that." I stuttered, embarrassedly wiping my cheek with my sleeve. Then, smirking to myself, I replied "Must be a part of the whole son-of-the-sea-god thing."

"I wonder why we didn't notice earlier." Luke chimed in, blinking to clear his eyes. With all of us awake, and finally feeling a bit more refreshed, we set down to brainstorming our next few steps. It was clear that our train wouldn't take us all the way but thankfully it was heading west, stopping somewhere in Arizona. Once we got off at the end, we would need to find another way to get all the way to wherever we were heading. Neither Luke nor Annabeth knew quite where the entrance to the underworld was, but it would have to be very far west and based on the Powers-That-Be's habit of aligning important places mythologically to important places in the human world, a major city was our best bet.

Based on where our train ended we were going to head to LA first and start the search for the underworld there. Not that any of us knew what to look for, but I for one was hoping the underworld would be rather obvious.

We lapsed into a lengthy silence, as we slowly ran out of things to say. I played with my dagger, drawing it a few inches before snapping it closed again. The repeating snick as it slid home was soothing, but soon began to drive my erstwhile companions mad. The minutes ticked by, now silent except for the sound of the train running on the tracks, reminding us how eerily alone we were on the train.

The silence didn't last long however, broken by resounding footfalls echoing along the corridor. It seemed innocuous, they were not overly loud or threatening, but we stared at each other in horror, because whatever was making these sounds had not been on the train when we set off.

The footsteps continued, the sound approaching along the silent carriage. Crunching, ever closer it came. The three of us had a hushed, rushed conversation to decide what we did. Luke was all for standing and fighting, but as Annabeth pointed out, there was barely room to stand in the corridor, let alone swing a sword. I gathered our bags and stood, heading towards the door at the far end of the section, away from the footsteps. Reluctantly, Luke joined me with Annabeth quickly following. We slid through the open door and dashed off the far side, pausing only to close the door behind us, to gain some time.

We knew running would only prolong our chase, we couldn't run forever else we would eventually run out of train to hide in. Thankfully we were near the back of the train and heading towards the engine at the front. None of us wanted to find out who or what was actually driving us, or who was following us close behind.

Running through carriage after carriage of empty seats, all identical, began to impress upon us just how alone we were. Soon, I began to feel as if we would never reach the front of the train, and were stuck in a nightmarish world where no matter how fast we ran we would always be caught by the faceless evil stalking through the carriages behind us. We ran and ran, barely pausing for breath to open the doors we came across. Soon, I could run no further. I signalled that I was flagging and we slowed down, before Luke dived behind some seats for cover, and we both followed suit.

We didn't have to wait long before we heard the steps again, faster this time, as if hurrying. The door slammed open and where it was now stood what would be best described as a demon from the depths of hell. Or rather, Hades. It was a woman with wild hair and sweeping bat wings, her fingers grasping claws, her mouth a snarling grin. I glanced across to Annabeth, where she was crouched behind a seat the far side of the aisle.

"Fury, servant of Hades." She whispered to me in response. Now I remembered, I'd read about them while practising Ancient Greek with Annabeth. All she needed was a whip to complete the look.

The Fury stalked further into the cabin, her nose pointed upwards, as if smelling us out. She stopped, grinned menacingly, and raised one hand.

 _'Oh look, there's the whip.'_ It materialised in her hands, long and black, flickering with ethereal flames.

"Come on out, you can't hide from me."

•••••

 **A/N**

 **Haha...hey guys...I totally didn't just go on a unplanned hiatus...at all...**

 **Seriously though, I do feel bad for not updating this in a while. I have a few exams coming up so I've been working for them, sadly writing has taken a bit of a back foot there. I decided against my suggestion last time, since apparently no one cared enough to comment either way, but I keep feeling the urge to do something RWBY related. I'll probably start it once this is finished - if it's ever finished that is.**

 **I am still open to any advice you may want to give me, and suggestions for what to write next. No, it will not be a crossover, but I'm otherwise open for ideas.**


	7. Chapter 7

_'How had she found us? Why was she here?'_ My mind raced, shocked by her appearance. None of us moved, waiting for her to do something else; talk some more, attack us, anything to break the nerve-wracking silence. Luke seemed to come to a conclusion, because he gave us a look, his face set.

"Well, it looks like we are out of time. You caught us, congratulations! What now? You going to take us back to your master?" Luke had stood up in the aisle and was calling out to the Fury.

"You will be judged, and punished accordingly." She rasped in reply, her voice echoing around the carriage. "Lord Hades will be most pleased with this new turn of events."

That confirmed it, she was working for Hades, and he was trying to capture us. We had to keep heading west to the underworld. Of course there was just a little predicament in the way, namely the scary bat lady trying to kidnap us.

"What, do you expect us to come quietly? I doubt Hades will be merciful. I think you will find us rather more difficult to take than your usual prey." What was Luke doing challenging her like that? Even if we outnumbered her, in the cramped compartment that would only hinder us.

Annabeth signalled to me urgently, it seemed she had realised something as well. I looked where she was pointing, and sure enough on her side of the carriage there was a fire escape door. That must be what Luke had seen as well, and he was hoping we would escape without him. _'As if we'd just leave him!'_ There was no way we would let him face her alone.

I fiercely shook my head at Annabeth. Then I had a realisation of my own, I mimed putting a cap on towards her, and her eyes widened, then set in determination. She grabbed her Yankees cap out of her bag, and slipped it onto her head, disappearing before my eyes.

I hoped she knew what I meant, after all, there is only so much a look can convey. Luke stepped up the aggression, simply beginning to insult her now. Their voices faded away as I focussed on my own role, gathering the bags and quickly, quietly carrying them over to the door. My task was soon over and I crouched watching the Fury hiss in anger. A flash of light from behind her, and suddenly she screeched in pain, twisting around. Her blazing eyes hunted for Annabeth. I drew my dagger in preparation, although I wasn't sure what I could do from where I was stood. Throw it? In the end I didn't need to worry as Annabeth reappeared next to Luke, her cap in her hand. She began to drag him back and I turned to the door.

In my desperation I nearly missed the bright red lever, but I grabbed it and pulled before pushing the door out. It clattered across the hard and dusty ground outside and was soon left behind. The noise had caught the Fury's attention and she rushed after us. It was now or never. I leapt out the door, twisting to crash into the scrubs with my back. I pulled up my knees and brought in my hands, practically curling in on myself to protect my extremities. The train rumbled on, and to my right two more people dropped into the wiry bushes.

I remained there, not moving, while the mysterious train rolled and clattered away. Only when it was long gone did I dare to stand up and limp towards the others. Annabeth had landed in a deep section and was just pulling herself back out when I stumbled over to her. Her arms were scratched from the rough landing and her hair was disheveled, but she looked otherwise fine. Luke wasn't as successful. He had landed feet first and his left foot was twisted at an unhealthy angle.

"Gods my foot hurts. I think my ankle is broken." He complained to us as we dragged him out.

"We'll have to reset it." Annabeth said, grimacing in distaste. "I-I know what to do, in theory."

I sighed in relief, as I had no clue how to go about resting an ankle. We soon had Luke laid out on the hard dirt, one leg suspended. His teeth were clamped around the strap of a bag, and I was holding his legs still, while Annabeth knelt opposite his foot. Her face, flushed red from the sudden chase and subsequent impromptu exit of the train, slowly returned to normal as she breathed deeply. Her eyebrows drew together in concentration and she stuck her tongue out slightly. Suddenly she grasped Luke's unfortunate foot with both hands and firmly twisted it straight again. Luke bellowed in agony and his limbs thrashed. Now I understood why I needed to hold his legs down.

Annabeth hurriedly searched through the duffel bags, still miraculously intact, and triumphantly pulled out a pouch of...some kind of yellow squares. She took one out, broke it gently in half and placed some into Luke's open, gasping mouth. He chewed briefly and, despite his earlier pain, his face was briefly covered by nostalgic relief, before opening his eyes with a sour expression.

"What was that?" I queried, confused.

"Ambrosia, it's the food of the gods. It helps demigods heal if they're injured but too much can make them burn up - literally," Annabeth replied helpfully. "We normally carry them in squares, about one of which is the maximum safe amount. They sell it on a stick on Olympus though."

I was still confused, but resolved to learn more later. Right then we needed to help Luke, since however it worked he still wasn't wholly healed. With a coordinated effort me and Annabeth got Luke up onto his remaining foot and, as best as we could stumbled off along the tracks towards civilisation.

•••••

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, sorry this one took a while to come out. I kept writing a section of it and then running out of steam. I still have a lot of room to cover in this story and it feels like it's dragging a bit, but rest assured I'll get there...eventually...**

 **I have written some things that might not be exactly canon here but represent my own interpretation of the world, such as how ambrosia works. It's never really clear but I'm assuming it simply provides a burst of energy that helps your body heal, instead of doing it for you (hence the feverishness). I also don't know if resetting an ankle is especially helpful in the real world and would always recommend calling an ambulance - or perhaps an Uber, I hear those are cheaper in the US - if you break your ankle.**

 **As always guys, remember to leave a review if you enjoyed and even more importantly, if you didn't enjoy it. Feel free to tell me where I can improve.**


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